Getting Ready for Winter with Montgomery County, Maryland

At the annual 2016 Snow Summit, Montgomery County officials talked about getting ready for winter, the importance of snow removal, and new initiatives to bring residents more accurate and timely weather-related information.

“Snow takes on a life of its own,” said Isiah Leggett, Montgomery County executive. “And, oftentimes, politicians and governments have been measured by snow and our ability to move it.”

After a large snowstorm, Montgomery County officials asked the public to share what could be learned from that experience, and the importance of removing snow was at the top of that list. In response, County executives are rolling out new initiatives to remove snow from more County sidewalks than ever before.

“We have a plan to remove the snow with some of our contract partners on these 350 miles of sidewalk throughout the County,” said Richard Dorsey, chief, highway services division.

With numerous contract partners, up to 250 highway services employees, and 175 pieces of County equipment designated for snow removal, Montgomery County looked to NeoTreks Plow Ops™ to more efficiently track plow driver status and improve road, weather and critical incident reporting. A digital ecosystem that integrates route assignments and reporting, Plow Ops helps state and local agencies like Montgomery County improve safety, increase efficiency and reduce weather-related delays.

Adapting to digital winter operations streamlines the communication process, including accurate and real-time travel information updates. Highlighting the importance of digitizing operations to bring real-time information to the public, County officials are also updating an interactive snow portal residents can access online. Real-time traveler information is critical for ensuring public safety and reducing costly weather-related delays and incidents.